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#boyfriendsbybLoved #1
The Boyfriend Game
Fake boyfriends for a week? Yes, please.
Carter Olson never expected he’d get a chance to date his older brother’s best friend, Rip Taylor.
Wished for it? Yes.
Fantasized about it? Possibly too much.
But ever thought it would actually happen? Not in a million years, since Rip is straight. But even if it’s just to try and win a gay game show, having Rip for a boyfriend—even a temporary/pretend one—is still the best thing to happen to Carter in... well, ever.
Especially because Rip’s so good at it.
Amazingly good, actually.
So good that Carter starts to hope that maybe it won’t have to end once the show’s over…
If there are two things Rip Taylor lives for, they’re having fun and being there for his friends, so a trip to Vegas to help surprise his best friend’s girlfriend with a big, flashy proposal sounds awesome. And even more fun? His bestie's plan to try and win some prize money for the wedding by signing the two of them up as contestants on the The Boyfriend Game.
The game show is sponsored by the gay dating app bLoved, and Rip is all in. He may be straight, but he's never been narrow, and when circumstances (a.k.a. a best friend who can't hold his tequila) mean that little Carter Olson gets roped into being Rip's fake boyfriend instead, that’s almost better… because who wouldn’t be able to be a convincing boyfriend to Carter?
After all, Carter’s hella sweet.
Kind of adorable, actually.
And really, really easy to get into character with…
Winning The Boyfriend Game? Rip and Carter have it in the bag.
The Boyfriend Game is a gay romance novel of approximately 75,000 words that contains some confusion about tops and bottoms, a straight guy who realizes he isn’t, an ice cube that melts much too fast, and the kind of luck that can only be found in Vegas. Every Stella Starling romance takes place in the same interconnected, contemporary world. The Boyfriend Game is a standalone book with cameos from other Stella Starling stories, a #boyfriendsbybLoved spinoff that takes place around the time of the epilogue from Ready For Love (Book One of the Semper Fi series).
Carter Olson never expected he’d get a chance to date his older brother’s best friend, Rip Taylor.
Wished for it? Yes.
Fantasized about it? Possibly too much.
But ever thought it would actually happen? Not in a million years, since Rip is straight. But even if it’s just to try and win a gay game show, having Rip for a boyfriend—even a temporary/pretend one—is still the best thing to happen to Carter in... well, ever.
Especially because Rip’s so good at it.
Amazingly good, actually.
So good that Carter starts to hope that maybe it won’t have to end once the show’s over…
If there are two things Rip Taylor lives for, they’re having fun and being there for his friends, so a trip to Vegas to help surprise his best friend’s girlfriend with a big, flashy proposal sounds awesome. And even more fun? His bestie's plan to try and win some prize money for the wedding by signing the two of them up as contestants on the The Boyfriend Game.
The game show is sponsored by the gay dating app bLoved, and Rip is all in. He may be straight, but he's never been narrow, and when circumstances (a.k.a. a best friend who can't hold his tequila) mean that little Carter Olson gets roped into being Rip's fake boyfriend instead, that’s almost better… because who wouldn’t be able to be a convincing boyfriend to Carter?
After all, Carter’s hella sweet.
Kind of adorable, actually.
And really, really easy to get into character with…
Winning The Boyfriend Game? Rip and Carter have it in the bag.
The Boyfriend Game is a gay romance novel of approximately 75,000 words that contains some confusion about tops and bottoms, a straight guy who realizes he isn’t, an ice cube that melts much too fast, and the kind of luck that can only be found in Vegas. Every Stella Starling romance takes place in the same interconnected, contemporary world. The Boyfriend Game is a standalone book with cameos from other Stella Starling stories, a #boyfriendsbybLoved spinoff that takes place around the time of the epilogue from Ready For Love (Book One of the Semper Fi series).
302 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2018
416 people are currently reading
1110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
July 31, 2018
~4.5~
If you prefer more gritty romantic fiction, with angst, loads of conflict, and two MCs who have to overcome the odds to be together, this isn't the story for you.
The Boyfriend Game is, to quote Rip, S-and-B (sparkling and beautiful).
It's your older brother's straight (but not really) best friend falling in love with you after a lifetime of longing.
It's pretending to be boyfriends to win a game, only to have it turn into something real and lasting.
It's that first kiss, addictive hugs (like potato chips, you can't stop with just one), dreamy dates, and your very own fan page.
It's knowing you're his first, last, and only.
The brief conflict is the result of a Big Misunderstanding, which wasn't particularly believable, but I couldn't bring myself to care.
This is a sexy, utterly enjoyable, feel-good story with two endearing MCs who are ridiculously adorable together.
Rip is all good nature and easygoing charm. He couldn't care less if people think he's gay. Kissing Carter, his bestie's little bro, whom he affectionately dubbed Little C, has been a revelation. The very best kind. Rip realizes be wants so much more with Carter.
Carter has carried a torch for Rip for ages. He never dared dream Rip could love him back. Be Rip's pretend boyfriend for a week? Hell, yes. Carter, all fluster, pretty blushes, and shy smiles, is all in. So what if his heart beats too fast when Rip calls him babe?
The HEA takes the sparkle to a whole new level. Prepare to swoon.
This book is a frozen strawberry margarita on a hot summer day. Drink it down. Get tipsy. Smile.
If you prefer more gritty romantic fiction, with angst, loads of conflict, and two MCs who have to overcome the odds to be together, this isn't the story for you.
The Boyfriend Game is, to quote Rip, S-and-B (sparkling and beautiful).
It's your older brother's straight (but not really) best friend falling in love with you after a lifetime of longing.
It's pretending to be boyfriends to win a game, only to have it turn into something real and lasting.
It's that first kiss, addictive hugs (like potato chips, you can't stop with just one), dreamy dates, and your very own fan page.
It's knowing you're his first, last, and only.
The brief conflict is the result of a Big Misunderstanding, which wasn't particularly believable, but I couldn't bring myself to care.
This is a sexy, utterly enjoyable, feel-good story with two endearing MCs who are ridiculously adorable together.
Rip is all good nature and easygoing charm. He couldn't care less if people think he's gay. Kissing Carter, his bestie's little bro, whom he affectionately dubbed Little C, has been a revelation. The very best kind. Rip realizes be wants so much more with Carter.
Carter has carried a torch for Rip for ages. He never dared dream Rip could love him back. Be Rip's pretend boyfriend for a week? Hell, yes. Carter, all fluster, pretty blushes, and shy smiles, is all in. So what if his heart beats too fast when Rip calls him babe?
The HEA takes the sparkle to a whole new level. Prepare to swoon.
This book is a frozen strawberry margarita on a hot summer day. Drink it down. Get tipsy. Smile.
June 7, 2019
No two people ever read the same book.
There comes a time in a reader’s life (that reader being me), when you must accept that some stories are just not for you. In this case this story.
The sugar coma ended in death! no recovery!
Time of Death! Drumroll please… ....about the gazillion time the characters grinned, if i read about one more person grinning or winking, i am going to lose my teeth.
They kept Winking! Chirping! Oh My Goding! Grinning! Dicks twitched, lips twitched, they blushed turned pink.
Rip grinned – Carter grinned – Rip grinned again-Carter grinned again- Rip half grinned- Kelly announced with a grin – Finn grinned – Rip grinned again and again and again. I guess Rip is the one on the cover grinning.
Rip winked – Rip said with a wink - Kelly said with a wink – Cam winked- Wink-Wink- Wink
It is Me! Not the Book! Blah! Blah! Blah!
This beginning was so promising! I was ready for an induced sugar coma, But the cheese was too much for this cheese loving peanut.
The game was good, until it became pervy.
I found myself going back to read some chapters because I kept zoning out.
The MCs were likable enough in the beginning, until they became just boring.
Carter is your typical nerd guy and Rip the not so straight, brother’s best friend love interest. I wear glasses and I don’t push my glasses or keep removing and cleaning them like Carter did. Carter! please get yourself some fitting glasses.
Anyhoo, don’t mind me.
Rip gasped, senses totally taken over by the sweetest kind of pain. He’d held it back for so long that when the orgasm finally barreled through him, it felt like a firehose unleashing.
Overwhelming.
Unstoppable.
So damn good he never wanted it to end.
He poured himself into the condom buried deep inside Carter’s body
And guess what? he grinned and winked.
There comes a time in a reader’s life (that reader being me), when you must accept that some stories are just not for you. In this case this story.
The sugar coma ended in death! no recovery!
Time of Death! Drumroll please… ....about the gazillion time the characters grinned, if i read about one more person grinning or winking, i am going to lose my teeth.
They kept Winking! Chirping! Oh My Goding! Grinning! Dicks twitched, lips twitched, they blushed turned pink.
Rip grinned – Carter grinned – Rip grinned again-Carter grinned again- Rip half grinned- Kelly announced with a grin – Finn grinned – Rip grinned again and again and again. I guess Rip is the one on the cover grinning.
Rip winked – Rip said with a wink - Kelly said with a wink – Cam winked- Wink-Wink- Wink
It is Me! Not the Book! Blah! Blah! Blah!
This beginning was so promising! I was ready for an induced sugar coma, But the cheese was too much for this cheese loving peanut.
The game was good, until it became pervy.
I found myself going back to read some chapters because I kept zoning out.
The MCs were likable enough in the beginning, until they became just boring.
Carter is your typical nerd guy and Rip the not so straight, brother’s best friend love interest. I wear glasses and I don’t push my glasses or keep removing and cleaning them like Carter did. Carter! please get yourself some fitting glasses.
Anyhoo, don’t mind me.
Rip gasped, senses totally taken over by the sweetest kind of pain. He’d held it back for so long that when the orgasm finally barreled through him, it felt like a firehose unleashing.
Overwhelming.
Unstoppable.
So damn good he never wanted it to end.
He poured himself into the condom buried deep inside Carter’s body
And guess what? he grinned and winked.
October 2, 2020
HOLY SHIT, you guys. This was one seriously happy, sappy, funny, sparkly, fluffy-assed read.
Carter was one big ole' innocent spoon full of sugar, and Rip was pretty-upbeat and great in his own right, if not also pretty clueless.
This story had plenty of dialogue, but we also got to spend a huge amount of time inside Carter and Rip's heads. Too much internal monologue generally bores me to tears, but their thoughts were so joyful and entertaining that, this time, I really didn't mind at all.
Speaking of not so joyful, though, the story did have a few negative Nancy's. Those would be "The Douche" and Britney, who constantly tried to pee in everyone else's Wheaties. Those 2 made me cray-cray with their constant pissing and moaning.
As for the sexy bits, the book had what I felt was the perfect amount of flirtiness teamed up with just the right amount of on-page steam.
What was a total "UGH" moment for me was the dreaded "Big Misunderstanding".
And this one was a helluva doozy. A big ole' STOOPIT doozy. Like one of those, "Wait, is the author fucking serious with this far-fetched shit?" type of doozy.
It was baaaaaad, but fortunately didn't remain unresolved for very long, so small favors, right?
My only other real niggle was that the author's references to "S & B" and "Lay's potato chips" felt suuuuuper heavy-handed and should've been dialed down about 15 notches.
#RepetetiveShitFeelsRepetetive #TryingTooHard
But in the grand scheme of things, I REALLY did enjoy the story, which made me smile much more than I thought I would going in, so I'd rate it at around 4.5 *flash-mob* stars.
** Warning: The 1-year-later HEA epilogue is pretty OTT sugary sweet, so have your insulin shots at the ready, ladies.
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January 8, 2019
My impression of Rip: He's a grinning idiot.
- He grinned / grinning / with a grin, etc: Word count 195
That's 195 times in 300 pages. Of course, not every single grin was Rip's. Cameron, his best bud and the other half of their Dumb & Dumber duo, gets some grins in too. But regardless of who's been sniffing the happy gas, on average 2 out of every 3 pages feature some grinning.
My impression of Carter: He wears glasses. And they don't fit right.
- He pushed his glasses up / fussed with his glasses / fixed his glasses, etc: Word count 74
I didn't make it any further than 8%, and at that point I was already overwhelmed by the repetition of their mannerisms. Oh, and let's not forget the winking: 48 winks.
48 winks, people!
There is no universe in which that amount of winking is acceptable. No universe I want to inhabit, at any rate.
That 8% really took it out of me.
I'm 1-starring it because I found it unreadable.
- He grinned / grinning / with a grin, etc: Word count 195
That's 195 times in 300 pages. Of course, not every single grin was Rip's. Cameron, his best bud and the other half of their Dumb & Dumber duo, gets some grins in too. But regardless of who's been sniffing the happy gas, on average 2 out of every 3 pages feature some grinning.
My impression of Carter: He wears glasses. And they don't fit right.
- He pushed his glasses up / fussed with his glasses / fixed his glasses, etc: Word count 74
I didn't make it any further than 8%, and at that point I was already overwhelmed by the repetition of their mannerisms. Oh, and let's not forget the winking: 48 winks.
48 winks, people!
There is no universe in which that amount of winking is acceptable. No universe I want to inhabit, at any rate.
That 8% really took it out of me.
I'm 1-starring it because I found it unreadable.
July 28, 2018
When I read the blurb, I was intrigued, but I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did. The whole "fake" boyfriend trope is always a hit and miss for me, but in this case, it was a BIG hit..thankfully ;)
Carter has been crushing on his brother's best frien Rip for years now. He knows nothing will come off it, since Rip is very much straight, but one can dream ...right ?
When his brother's birthday takes them all to Las Vegas, he is given the opportunity to finally be what he always wanted.... Rip's boyfriend. So who cares is it's fake...as long as Rip keeps touching him like that :P
It doesn't take long for lines to be crossed and maybe things aren't as fake as they thought...
I really enjoyed this story. When I read the blurb, I figured there would be lots of angst, but I was so wrong. This book gave me all the "good feelz" !! I absolutely loved it ;)
Highly recommended if you are looking for a fun, sweet and adorable gay romance !!
May 1, 2019
Audio 5++++ stars. Not only does J. R. Warlow have a great voice, he is an amazing performer. I highly recommend the audio!!
Story - 3.5 feel good fluffy stars round up because of the narrator
Story - 3.5 feel good fluffy stars round up because of the narrator
July 19, 2023
Re-read July 2023
I really love the audio.
And yes, I cried at the epilogue again.
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4.25 stars
This book was adorable!
I’m actually not a real fan of the fake boyfriend trope, since it almost always leads to misunderstandings, angst and heartbreak. Well, not here. I wouldn’t say it was completely without those things, no. But this was so fluffy and sweet, that the angst most definitely took a backseat.
21 year old Carter has been in love with Rip, his brother’s best friend, for a long time. But.. Rip is straight… Carter knows he doesn’t stand a chance, so he tries to keep the pining to a minimum. But when Carter’s brother Cam, asks them to come to Las Vegas with him for a surprise proposal for Cam’s girlfriend, Carter thinks he will just have a fun week and then go back to his dorm to pine some more.
But when they arrive, they hear about this boyfriend game. A game that will pay the winner $10,000. And that’s how Carter suddenly finds himself the pretend boyfriend of Rip for the rest of the week.
Rip just wants to have fun, and what better way to do this with a game that will help Cam and Mia pay for their wedding. But Rip didn’t count on actually falling for Carter for real…
What I always notice about Stella Starling’s books is that her characters are so darn likable! Rip was just this overall happy, fun, passionate guy. And Carter was a bit shy and a whole lot adorable. Together they were amazing! Talk about chemistry.
I loved that these guys were into each other from the start. It was almost immediately obvious to Rip how much he likes being Carter’s boyfriend.
And this had the best HEA. I cried all the happy tears.
This was sweet, adorable, sexy, and an overall fun read.
I really love the audio.
And yes, I cried at the epilogue again.
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4.25 stars
This book was adorable!
I’m actually not a real fan of the fake boyfriend trope, since it almost always leads to misunderstandings, angst and heartbreak. Well, not here. I wouldn’t say it was completely without those things, no. But this was so fluffy and sweet, that the angst most definitely took a backseat.
21 year old Carter has been in love with Rip, his brother’s best friend, for a long time. But.. Rip is straight… Carter knows he doesn’t stand a chance, so he tries to keep the pining to a minimum. But when Carter’s brother Cam, asks them to come to Las Vegas with him for a surprise proposal for Cam’s girlfriend, Carter thinks he will just have a fun week and then go back to his dorm to pine some more.
But when they arrive, they hear about this boyfriend game. A game that will pay the winner $10,000. And that’s how Carter suddenly finds himself the pretend boyfriend of Rip for the rest of the week.
Rip just wants to have fun, and what better way to do this with a game that will help Cam and Mia pay for their wedding. But Rip didn’t count on actually falling for Carter for real…
What I always notice about Stella Starling’s books is that her characters are so darn likable! Rip was just this overall happy, fun, passionate guy. And Carter was a bit shy and a whole lot adorable. Together they were amazing! Talk about chemistry.
I loved that these guys were into each other from the start. It was almost immediately obvious to Rip how much he likes being Carter’s boyfriend.
And this had the best HEA. I cried all the happy tears.
This was sweet, adorable, sexy, and an overall fun read.
August 19, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*FakeBoyfriends*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
The book centers around Carter Andrew Olson and his brother's bestfriend, Rip Taylor. In Vegas, Rip and Cam (Carter's brother) sign up to be fake boyfriends in a game called The Boyfriend Game,
Rip grinned, then he leaned down and—
Oh my God oh my God ohmyGod. —kissed him.
And the kiss was perfect.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult?) Contemporary Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Rip Taylor.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure, it's cute, but that's all.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 stars.
October 30, 2021
3.75 💫
Well, that was sugar and spice and all things nice! If you need cheering up, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. As for the links in the author’s Afterword, they made me just as teary eyed as the epilogue. So cute 🥰💕
Well, that was sugar and spice and all things nice! If you need cheering up, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. As for the links in the author’s Afterword, they made me just as teary eyed as the epilogue. So cute 🥰💕
July 30, 2018
3 Stars!
I have 3 go-to tropes; Suspense romance, GFY, and the good old fake relationship. Considering this was one of those I one-clicked this sucker real quick. I wish I could say I enjoyed this one as much as so many of my fellow reader friends did, but I can not tell a lie! Well, I can like a pro when needed but not about my reading experiences.
I really liked Rip even if I found him to be a bit on the cheese side a lot of the times. He was sweet to the point of toothache meds being needed. But he was also very affectionate which I really liked. I'm a complete cynic when things get to be too cheesy and sweet. It just makes me cringe and want to walk away from the awkwardness it makes me feel. So totally blaming my own tastes for not fully loving this.
Carter... Well I liked him, but he came off to me as being much younger than his 21 years of age. I couldn't handle all of his emotional break downs. Too much crying for me. It's a big turn off for me when a character cries so much. Once again, a personal taste thing.
Loads of people loved it. I just happen to be one of the few who just thought it was OK.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I have 3 go-to tropes; Suspense romance, GFY, and the good old fake relationship. Considering this was one of those I one-clicked this sucker real quick. I wish I could say I enjoyed this one as much as so many of my fellow reader friends did, but I can not tell a lie! Well, I can like a pro when needed but not about my reading experiences.
I really liked Rip even if I found him to be a bit on the cheese side a lot of the times. He was sweet to the point of toothache meds being needed. But he was also very affectionate which I really liked. I'm a complete cynic when things get to be too cheesy and sweet. It just makes me cringe and want to walk away from the awkwardness it makes me feel. So totally blaming my own tastes for not fully loving this.
Carter... Well I liked him, but he came off to me as being much younger than his 21 years of age. I couldn't handle all of his emotional break downs. Too much crying for me. It's a big turn off for me when a character cries so much. Once again, a personal taste thing.
Loads of people loved it. I just happen to be one of the few who just thought it was OK.
Happy reading dolls! xx
July 30, 2018
I'm throwing in the towel at 62%. Despite the ridiculous dialogue and OTT cheesiness, I found myself not quitting, BUT this misunderstanding is one of the stupidest I've EVER read in romance. I feel like I read a diff't book than everyone else.
Usually, I don't rate books that I've DNFed, but I'm breaking that rule since I passed the halfway point.
1.5 Stars for the
-Cheesy af inner monologues and dialogue
-Immature characters.
-The overused "OMG."
-And the absurd misunderstanding.
Sometimes I love me some cheese but not this time.
Usually, I don't rate books that I've DNFed, but I'm breaking that rule since I passed the halfway point.
1.5 Stars for the
-Cheesy af inner monologues and dialogue
-Immature characters.
-The overused "OMG."
-And the absurd misunderstanding.
Sometimes I love me some cheese but not this time.
July 26, 2018
His first, his last and his only.
This was such a breath of fresh air and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to see Stella Starling back in my feed!
This book was so much fun. Easy, breezy, beautiful I'd say.
It was cute and funny and sexy and just, yeah, all that. Friends, you've gotta just be able to relax and roll with it and if you can do that you will be in for such a treat!
This was just what I needed and I am so glad the author is back!
This was such a breath of fresh air and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to see Stella Starling back in my feed!
This book was so much fun. Easy, breezy, beautiful I'd say.
It was cute and funny and sexy and just, yeah, all that. Friends, you've gotta just be able to relax and roll with it and if you can do that you will be in for such a treat!
This was just what I needed and I am so glad the author is back!
August 1, 2018
4.5 'S and B' stars
Sometimes you just need to read a book with little drama and angst. That is also really cute it almost gives you a toothache and The Boyfriend Game was it for me. It was a older brother's best friend falling in love with you and they're usually a hit or a miss for me but thankfully not here.
Carter and Rip were just adorable together. Jesus I couldn't stop smiling at Carter. He completely shook me and stole my heart. And that ending? OH MY GOD. IT WAS EVERYTHING.
Sometimes you just need to read a book with little drama and angst. That is also really cute it almost gives you a toothache and The Boyfriend Game was it for me. It was a older brother's best friend falling in love with you and they're usually a hit or a miss for me but thankfully not here.
Carter and Rip were just adorable together. Jesus I couldn't stop smiling at Carter. He completely shook me and stole my heart. And that ending? OH MY GOD. IT WAS EVERYTHING.
Rip grinned, then he leaned down and—
Oh my God oh my God ohmyGod. —kissed him.
And the kiss was perfect.
October 11, 2018
This was super sweet!!
The story is extremely character driven (which I love), so it sometimes took ages to work myself through endless internal monologues, but it was so worth it.
You have to read the author’s note at the end, it’s so interesting and revealing. And I am totally happy to find out that this book is a loving homage to ‘Honeymoon Hoax’ which is a book I absolutely and totally loved.
The Boyfriend Game is about a group of friends traveling to Vegas because Cam wants to propose to his girlfriend Mia – via flashmob (which is a thing, apparently. Don’t mind me, I live under a rock).
While being in Vegas, the group runs into a casting for a gay game show that is organized by a gay dating app named ‘bLoved’. The winner of the game show gets 10 grand, so Cam decides to participate and pretend to be gay with his best friend Rip – both of them being straight in real life, of course.
However, due to various circumstances, Cam’s younger brother Carter ends up on that show with Rip. Carter has always been in love with his brother’s hunky best friend Rip, so playing boyfriends with him is like – the ultimate dream come true.
And playing ‘pretend’ would be so much easier, if Rip weren’t so enthusiastic about giving Carter the best of times while being together. He’s charming, he’s caring, he’s affectionate. He’s simply perfect.
So much so that the whole story reads a bit like a fairytale. But in the best way possible. I truly loved it.
Rip’s coming to terms with his sudden re-orientation is a surprisingly angst-free process, so be prepared to get a dose of sugary sweet romance perfection with this story. No huge drama, the usual tiny misunderstandings that are blown out of proportion and two characters who are both endearing and very clearly drawn.
And the ending impressed me. A lot. Like, perfect wrap-up.
I loved it. A definite recommendation for anyone in need of a feelgood-romance.
5 stars!
The story is extremely character driven (which I love), so it sometimes took ages to work myself through endless internal monologues, but it was so worth it.
You have to read the author’s note at the end, it’s so interesting and revealing. And I am totally happy to find out that this book is a loving homage to ‘Honeymoon Hoax’ which is a book I absolutely and totally loved.
The Boyfriend Game is about a group of friends traveling to Vegas because Cam wants to propose to his girlfriend Mia – via flashmob (which is a thing, apparently. Don’t mind me, I live under a rock).
While being in Vegas, the group runs into a casting for a gay game show that is organized by a gay dating app named ‘bLoved’. The winner of the game show gets 10 grand, so Cam decides to participate and pretend to be gay with his best friend Rip – both of them being straight in real life, of course.
However, due to various circumstances, Cam’s younger brother Carter ends up on that show with Rip. Carter has always been in love with his brother’s hunky best friend Rip, so playing boyfriends with him is like – the ultimate dream come true.
And playing ‘pretend’ would be so much easier, if Rip weren’t so enthusiastic about giving Carter the best of times while being together. He’s charming, he’s caring, he’s affectionate. He’s simply perfect.
So much so that the whole story reads a bit like a fairytale. But in the best way possible. I truly loved it.
Rip’s coming to terms with his sudden re-orientation is a surprisingly angst-free process, so be prepared to get a dose of sugary sweet romance perfection with this story. No huge drama, the usual tiny misunderstandings that are blown out of proportion and two characters who are both endearing and very clearly drawn.
And the ending impressed me. A lot. Like, perfect wrap-up.
I loved it. A definite recommendation for anyone in need of a feelgood-romance.
5 stars!
January 19, 2021
This was the cheesiest, OTT, “sparkling and beautiful” shit I’ve ever read. Jesus Christ, I’m grinning from ear to ear. Nothing monumental even HAPPENED, just some straight up processed cheese that’s making my arteries clogged but I can’t stop at just one bite.
If you’re looking for realistic, this isn’t for you. And funny thing, I usually look for a realistic love story that will scratch me in the feelers. But after all my angsty reads, I needed something fluffy. And this was PURE fluff, people.
Hot sex scenes, swoony MC’s who were oblivious, public declarations of love, and flash mobs. You definitely have to be in the mood for a diabetic seizure to get through this one.
And the sex scenes were hot. So, yeah. This is perfect if you want a little escape from reality. So sugary sweet, ooey gooey I have a toothache.
If you’re looking for realistic, this isn’t for you. And funny thing, I usually look for a realistic love story that will scratch me in the feelers. But after all my angsty reads, I needed something fluffy. And this was PURE fluff, people.
Hot sex scenes, swoony MC’s who were oblivious, public declarations of love, and flash mobs. You definitely have to be in the mood for a diabetic seizure to get through this one.
And the sex scenes were hot. So, yeah. This is perfect if you want a little escape from reality. So sugary sweet, ooey gooey I have a toothache.
March 15, 2022
DNF @ 59%
Too much dialogue and too many internal monologues. I’m just so bored. I started skimming some parts earlier on, but the premise was so cute I wanted to keep going. None of the characters feel real, one of the MCs came across as so naive about gay people it was almost insulting, and the repetitive cutesy language grated on my nerves.
Too much dialogue and too many internal monologues. I’m just so bored. I started skimming some parts earlier on, but the premise was so cute I wanted to keep going. None of the characters feel real, one of the MCs came across as so naive about gay people it was almost insulting, and the repetitive cutesy language grated on my nerves.
May 1, 2019
It was a sweet read. But I have to say that the misunderstanding around 68% was so dumb that I just couldn't get past it. I still enjoyed it though.
December 10, 2021
The Boyfriend Game is a romance MM with fake dating and unrequited love trope at its finest.
“As soon as it’s melted, you’ve gotta stick your tongue out to activate the tracker.” Rip’s eyes dropped to Carter’s mouth again, and he rocked Carter against him. “And Carter…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t swallow.”
“Okay.”
Rip gave him a dirty smile. “This time.”
Carter has been in love with Rip, his brother’s very straight best friend, since he was a teen. He can’t believe his luck when they are signed up in The Boyfriend Game. As a couple. The goal is to win the prize money for his brother’s wedding, but quickly the lines between fake and real begin to blur and Carter is not sure anymore that living his dream is worth the broken heart.
“It’s going to be a disaster,” Carter whispered.
“Nah,” Rip said, grinning down at him. “You and me? We’re perfect together, Carter.”
This book may not be the most realistic one, but it’s so much fun! Rip was the kind of man that’s impossible not to fall for, so I felt Carter’s suffering like it was my own. My heart was warming and hurting when Rip’s answers matched Carter' during the games, when Rip gave him compliments, touched him, kissed him...
“What’s his favourite sexual position?”
“Um,” Carter said, sounding miserable. “Rip likes… um, he likes all of them?”
He made it sound like a question, and the audience seemed to love it. The problem was, Rip had nothing to offer but a blank board. “Couldn’t decide.”
Carter was losing his mind, mainly because his heart couldn’t process that Rip liked him for real. I'm not really into miscommunication, but I didn't mind here because for me Rip is clear enough about what he wants. Only that Carter keeps thinking is for the show because it's too good to be true. And I can't blame the poor guy: it's everything he has ever wished.
“My boyfriend likes a little PDA, isn’t that right, babe?” Rip grinned at him and squeezed his ass. “See? You can tell he liked it, because his eyes get all sparkly and beautiful.”
“I think it’s just the, um, reflection off my glasses,” Carter said, blushing furiously.
“No, babe, it’s really not,” Rip said, brushing Carter’s hair back from his face. “It’s you.”
Carter blinked. Rip thought he was beautiful?
The way Rip was looking at him made him feel beautiful.
Actually, the way Rip was looking at him made it hard to breathe.
Overall, The Boyfriend Game is a sweet, fun and unrealistic MM romance set in Las Vegas that will make you both suffer and sight because Rip is a keeper and Carter, too cute for his own good.
“I see it every day, Carter. You sparkle from the inside out. It shines out of you so brightly that it lights up my whole world… my life...my everything.”
*Rating: 3.5/5
“As soon as it’s melted, you’ve gotta stick your tongue out to activate the tracker.” Rip’s eyes dropped to Carter’s mouth again, and he rocked Carter against him. “And Carter…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t swallow.”
“Okay.”
Rip gave him a dirty smile. “This time.”
Carter has been in love with Rip, his brother’s very straight best friend, since he was a teen. He can’t believe his luck when they are signed up in The Boyfriend Game. As a couple. The goal is to win the prize money for his brother’s wedding, but quickly the lines between fake and real begin to blur and Carter is not sure anymore that living his dream is worth the broken heart.
“It’s going to be a disaster,” Carter whispered.
“Nah,” Rip said, grinning down at him. “You and me? We’re perfect together, Carter.”
This book may not be the most realistic one, but it’s so much fun! Rip was the kind of man that’s impossible not to fall for, so I felt Carter’s suffering like it was my own. My heart was warming and hurting when Rip’s answers matched Carter' during the games, when Rip gave him compliments, touched him, kissed him...
“What’s his favourite sexual position?”
“Um,” Carter said, sounding miserable. “Rip likes… um, he likes all of them?”
He made it sound like a question, and the audience seemed to love it. The problem was, Rip had nothing to offer but a blank board. “Couldn’t decide.”
Carter was losing his mind, mainly because his heart couldn’t process that Rip liked him for real. I'm not really into miscommunication, but I didn't mind here because for me Rip is clear enough about what he wants. Only that Carter keeps thinking is for the show because it's too good to be true. And I can't blame the poor guy: it's everything he has ever wished.
“My boyfriend likes a little PDA, isn’t that right, babe?” Rip grinned at him and squeezed his ass. “See? You can tell he liked it, because his eyes get all sparkly and beautiful.”
“I think it’s just the, um, reflection off my glasses,” Carter said, blushing furiously.
“No, babe, it’s really not,” Rip said, brushing Carter’s hair back from his face. “It’s you.”
Carter blinked. Rip thought he was beautiful?
The way Rip was looking at him made him feel beautiful.
Actually, the way Rip was looking at him made it hard to breathe.
Overall, The Boyfriend Game is a sweet, fun and unrealistic MM romance set in Las Vegas that will make you both suffer and sight because Rip is a keeper and Carter, too cute for his own good.
“I see it every day, Carter. You sparkle from the inside out. It shines out of you so brightly that it lights up my whole world… my life...my everything.”
*Rating: 3.5/5
July 26, 2018
This is just what I needed Fluffy, Sweet, Sexy.
June 7, 2019
Pure sweetness is good for the soul
Sometimes I want nothing more than a good romp through a romance with only a teeny bit of conflict and maybe a pinch of angst but wrapped in a whole load of sugar.
When that's the case, I pick up a Stella Starling book because that's what she's going to deliver and that's just what I got.
The Boyfriend Game takes the fake boyfriend trope down a side alley and gives it a bit of a twist by adding in a competition and a falling for you bisexual awakening.
Apart from getting the saying - I could care less (it should be couldn't because if you could care it means you have SOME level of care instead of none! - wrong which is one of my personal pet peeves, there's very little else to moan about here.
A totally cute best friend's little brother providing the opening awareness for out slightly older other MC to realise he's not as straight as he thought.
Carter was totally adorable, Rip was suitably committed to going full out to get his man once he realised he wanted him and the one year later chapter was just awesome.
Now onto book two :)
Sometimes I want nothing more than a good romp through a romance with only a teeny bit of conflict and maybe a pinch of angst but wrapped in a whole load of sugar.
When that's the case, I pick up a Stella Starling book because that's what she's going to deliver and that's just what I got.
The Boyfriend Game takes the fake boyfriend trope down a side alley and gives it a bit of a twist by adding in a competition and a falling for you bisexual awakening.
Apart from getting the saying - I could care less (it should be couldn't because if you could care it means you have SOME level of care instead of none! - wrong which is one of my personal pet peeves, there's very little else to moan about here.
A totally cute best friend's little brother providing the opening awareness for out slightly older other MC to realise he's not as straight as he thought.
Carter was totally adorable, Rip was suitably committed to going full out to get his man once he realised he wanted him and the one year later chapter was just awesome.
Now onto book two :)
August 24, 2018
This was a super sweet, fluffy, hot, friends to lovers romance.
There is no major angst over Rip suddenly discovering his attraction to his best friend's younger brother, even though he has never been attracted to a man before. Rip actually thinks about Carter's feelings before his own. He really cares about Carter from the start and that allowed me to just go with it.
Carter has been in love with Rip for most of his life and can't believe he gets to play pretend boyfriends for a while. He figures he'll take what he can get and have some fun, but the fun starts to seem like so much more than that very quickly and not just from his side of things. Could Rip really be into him or is he just a good actor?
The main point of conflict is one of those miscommunications that occurs during an emotional time. The two think they are talking about the same thing when they aren't, but it isn't dragged out too long. The HEA ending was completely over the top adorable and did bring a tear to my eye.
If you want nothing more than to relax and enjoy a cute story, and don't mind a bit of cheesiness with your romance, this one is a fun story to while away the day with.
There is no major angst over Rip suddenly discovering his attraction to his best friend's younger brother, even though he has never been attracted to a man before. Rip actually thinks about Carter's feelings before his own. He really cares about Carter from the start and that allowed me to just go with it.
Carter has been in love with Rip for most of his life and can't believe he gets to play pretend boyfriends for a while. He figures he'll take what he can get and have some fun, but the fun starts to seem like so much more than that very quickly and not just from his side of things. Could Rip really be into him or is he just a good actor?
The main point of conflict is one of those miscommunications that occurs during an emotional time. The two think they are talking about the same thing when they aren't, but it isn't dragged out too long. The HEA ending was completely over the top adorable and did bring a tear to my eye.
If you want nothing more than to relax and enjoy a cute story, and don't mind a bit of cheesiness with your romance, this one is a fun story to while away the day with.
September 30, 2018
Sometimes you land on that perfect book at that perfect time, and all you can think when you've finished it is "that was perfect".
GAH! Melty heart. ❣️
Carter is Rip's "Lay's addiction". He simply can't stop at just one...smile, hug, kiss, blush... everything about Carter makes him want more of it.
For Carter, Rip has basically been his lifelong crush.
Aaah, these two together just melted my heart. I loved everything about this book, the fun, the oblivious love, the friendships and the cavity inducing sweetness throughout. It hit the perfect spot at the perfect time. I can't give it any less than five stars.
GAH! Melty heart. ❣️
Carter is Rip's "Lay's addiction". He simply can't stop at just one...smile, hug, kiss, blush... everything about Carter makes him want more of it.
For Carter, Rip has basically been his lifelong crush.
Aaah, these two together just melted my heart. I loved everything about this book, the fun, the oblivious love, the friendships and the cavity inducing sweetness throughout. It hit the perfect spot at the perfect time. I can't give it any less than five stars.
August 2, 2018
3.5 stars!
Review to come!
~*~
So I really enjoyed this. It had one of my favorite tropes, fake-relationship, and also brother's best friend who one has been in love with forever...and a guy who was apparently straight turning out to be not so straight...at least for the main character.
Also, Carter and Rip just had really great chemistry, and for the most part this was a blast to read because of it.
But then there were these little...niggles. Like it constantly had Carter pushing up his glasses, and that shouldn't be a big deal, but after it happening over and over and over and OVER again I was like "omg enough, we know that he wears glasses" lol.
Also, it did this a lot: "'Oh my god!' he said/squealed."
Okay, I feel like this is writing 101. Don't do that. Just don't. Just say he squealed - there is no reason to say said/squealed. And I feel like...even if a character says "something slash something" that it would be better to write "slash" then the actual "/" symbol. It just distracts and it pulled me out of the story and it's not good technical writing. There are many instances of the said/squealed type of thing going on. It just looks...a little juvenile, to be honest.
And also...it started to get a little sugary sweet...too sugary sweet, even for my tastes. And let me tell you, I am a lover of the sugary sweet, of the fluff, big time. I prefer fluff if written well to angst upon angst, honestly. But I do like a dose of reality with the fluff, which can be done. This...near the end it just got over the top, in my opinion.
It was still cute as hell...and the ending was sugary sweet in the most adorable way...but mostly it was like....cotton candy sweet after we got over the manufactured drama - seriously, there is drama being drawn out and made up drama for the sake of it, and then there's manufacturing drama that doesn't last long because it's super easy to fix and therefore didn't need to be drama in the first place...but is still made into drama anyway to get some drama in there...
And if it had been handled well or differently, it would have been welcome in this fluffy adventure, but it wasn't handled that well, in my opinion.
Also, Rip smirked too much...it shouldn't be that big a deal but he smirked over fucking everything. I don't know, if someone did that in real life it would annoy the crap out of me. But I read "he smirked" way too many times, idk.
And again, these are nit-picky things for the most part (except for the said/squealed thing which I think would annoy a lot of people, personally) but they are things that annoyed me and brought my overall rating down in the end.
Overall a fun, light and sexy read (loved that Carter and Rip had some serious passion between them) but wasn't technically written the best and had some, in my opinion, juvenile writing moves.
Review to come!
~*~
So I really enjoyed this. It had one of my favorite tropes, fake-relationship, and also brother's best friend who one has been in love with forever...and a guy who was apparently straight turning out to be not so straight...at least for the main character.
Also, Carter and Rip just had really great chemistry, and for the most part this was a blast to read because of it.
But then there were these little...niggles. Like it constantly had Carter pushing up his glasses, and that shouldn't be a big deal, but after it happening over and over and over and OVER again I was like "omg enough, we know that he wears glasses" lol.
Also, it did this a lot: "'Oh my god!' he said/squealed."
Okay, I feel like this is writing 101. Don't do that. Just don't. Just say he squealed - there is no reason to say said/squealed. And I feel like...even if a character says "something slash something" that it would be better to write "slash" then the actual "/" symbol. It just distracts and it pulled me out of the story and it's not good technical writing. There are many instances of the said/squealed type of thing going on. It just looks...a little juvenile, to be honest.
And also...it started to get a little sugary sweet...too sugary sweet, even for my tastes. And let me tell you, I am a lover of the sugary sweet, of the fluff, big time. I prefer fluff if written well to angst upon angst, honestly. But I do like a dose of reality with the fluff, which can be done. This...near the end it just got over the top, in my opinion.
It was still cute as hell...and the ending was sugary sweet in the most adorable way...but mostly it was like....cotton candy sweet after we got over the manufactured drama - seriously, there is drama being drawn out and made up drama for the sake of it, and then there's manufacturing drama that doesn't last long because it's super easy to fix and therefore didn't need to be drama in the first place...but is still made into drama anyway to get some drama in there...
And if it had been handled well or differently, it would have been welcome in this fluffy adventure, but it wasn't handled that well, in my opinion.
Also, Rip smirked too much...it shouldn't be that big a deal but he smirked over fucking everything. I don't know, if someone did that in real life it would annoy the crap out of me. But I read "he smirked" way too many times, idk.
And again, these are nit-picky things for the most part (except for the said/squealed thing which I think would annoy a lot of people, personally) but they are things that annoyed me and brought my overall rating down in the end.
Overall a fun, light and sexy read (loved that Carter and Rip had some serious passion between them) but wasn't technically written the best and had some, in my opinion, juvenile writing moves.
September 12, 2018
*3,75 stars*
This was light and easy to read, something you can relax into with a smile on your face. Carter and Rip are cute and adorable.Be prepared for a lot blushing on Carter’s part and a mighty revelation for Rip.
The plot is never meant to be totally logical or real. Just read this for what it is: sheer fluff in rainbow colours.
This was light and easy to read, something you can relax into with a smile on your face. Carter and Rip are cute and adorable.Be prepared for a lot blushing on Carter’s part and a mighty revelation for Rip.
The plot is never meant to be totally logical or real. Just read this for what it is: sheer fluff in rainbow colours.
July 26, 2018
I needed that. I loved Rip and Carter. And I seriously cried at the end (for the book AND the links at the end).
August 8, 2018
It was a sweet read. But I have to say that the misunderstanding around 68% was so dumb that I just couldn't get passed it. I still enjoyed it though.
July 25, 2018
3.5 stars
Carter has had a crush on Rip since puberty. A week long trip in Vegas. for his brother's (Cam) birthday / planned proposal to his girlfriend, gives Carter an opportunity of a lifetime. bLoved is hosting a game and the prize is $10,000. Cam and Rip wrangle Carter into participating in the game as Rip and him posing as fake boyfriends in order to win the money for Cam's and Mia's wedding.
Even if Carter knows Rip is straight he takes this as the opportunity to live out his fantasies as being Rip's boyfriend while being on the game. He just has to beware of his emotions. However, Rip may not be as straight as Carter believes.
The story was sweet, fun, friends to lovers and practically angst free. I enjoyed it. The ending was super cute.
Carter has had a crush on Rip since puberty. A week long trip in Vegas. for his brother's (Cam) birthday / planned proposal to his girlfriend, gives Carter an opportunity of a lifetime. bLoved is hosting a game and the prize is $10,000. Cam and Rip wrangle Carter into participating in the game as Rip and him posing as fake boyfriends in order to win the money for Cam's and Mia's wedding.
Even if Carter knows Rip is straight he takes this as the opportunity to live out his fantasies as being Rip's boyfriend while being on the game. He just has to beware of his emotions. However, Rip may not be as straight as Carter believes.
The story was sweet, fun, friends to lovers and practically angst free. I enjoyed it. The ending was super cute.
July 26, 2018
This was the sweetest book.
I love books with crazy setups, I also love when formerly straight boys discover and embrace their attraction to another man. This definitely has both.
*ARC provided by LesCourt Ssrvices
I love books with crazy setups, I also love when formerly straight boys discover and embrace their attraction to another man. This definitely has both.
*ARC provided by LesCourt Ssrvices
July 26, 2018
*4,5 stars*
Yeah, this was just what I needed. A sweet, sizzeling romance on a bloody hot day. Ridiculously romantic.. *swoons
Yeah, this was just what I needed. A sweet, sizzeling romance on a bloody hot day. Ridiculously romantic.. *swoons
February 5, 2022
2.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I asked for something fun and dumb, and Elisa delivered with the rec! (Thanks, Elisa 💕💕)
This is basically smut. Totally ridiculous, OTT cheesy, smut. I’m refusing to talk about the plot and dialogue because it’s better for my health that way, but in a nutshell:
The Plot
This was the ultimate brain cleanse and I had fun reading 😌
I asked for something fun and dumb, and Elisa delivered with the rec! (Thanks, Elisa 💕💕)
This is basically smut. Totally ridiculous, OTT cheesy, smut. I’m refusing to talk about the plot and dialogue because it’s better for my health that way, but in a nutshell:
The Plot
This was the ultimate brain cleanse and I had fun reading 😌
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